European Accessibility Act for EU Online Stores
The EAA requires EU ecommerce services to meet web accessibility standards from June 2025. Here's what your store must do — and how to find out where you stand today.
Overview
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) is the EU's law requiring digital services to be accessible to people with disabilities. For ecommerce, the compliance deadline is June 28, 2025.
Technically, the EAA references the harmonised standard EN 301 549, which in turn is based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA. So if your store meets WCAG 2.1 AA, you meet the core EAA requirements for digital accessibility.
Compliance deadline
June 28, 2025
Technical standard
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
Applies to
Sites, apps, kiosks
Exemption threshold
<10 staff & <€2M
Scope
Who must comply?
✓ Must comply
• Ecommerce stores selling to EU consumers
• Online banking and financial services
• Streaming and media services
• Transport booking websites
• E-books and reading software
• Businesses with 10+ employees OR €2M+ turnover
◦ Microenterprise exemption
Exempt if you meet both conditions:
• Fewer than 10 employees
• Less than €2M annual turnover
If you exceed either threshold, you must comply. Good accessibility is still recommended.
Requirements
WCAG 2.1 AA requirements for ecommerce
The EAA requires conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Here are the most relevant requirements for an online store, grouped by area:
Images & media
All images have descriptive alt text
Videos include captions or transcripts
Audio-only content has a text alternative
Colour & readability
Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum
Large text (18pt+ or 14pt bold): 3:1 minimum
UI components: 3:1 contrast against adjacent colours
Text can be resized to 200% without content loss
Navigation & structure
All functionality works with keyboard only
No keyboard traps — users can navigate away
Skip navigation link provided
Logical heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3)
Focus indicators are visible
Forms & inputs
All inputs have programmatic labels
Error messages identify the specific field
Required fields are clearly indicated
Instructions provided before the form
Code & language
HTML lang attribute set on every page
Language changes within a page are marked
Page titles are descriptive and unique
No content that flashes >3 times per second
What to fix first
Most common violations in EU online stores
Based on automated scans of thousands of EU ecommerce sites, these are the issues we find most often:
1
Missing image alt text
CriticalProduct images, banners, and icons without descriptive alt attributes are invisible to screen readers. Common on product listing pages.
2
Insufficient colour contrast
HighText that doesn't meet 4.5:1 contrast ratio (normal text) or 3:1 (large text). Often affects placeholder text, footer links, and promotional labels.
3
Missing form labels
CriticalInputs for email, name, address, and card details without programmatic labels. Users relying on screen readers cannot understand what to type.
4
No HTML lang attribute
HighThe <html> tag must declare the page language (e.g., lang="en"). Screen readers use this to apply the correct pronunciation rules.
5
Non-descriptive link text
Medium"Click here", "read more", or "learn more" links with no surrounding context. Screen reader users navigating by links cannot understand where they go.
6
Missing page title
HighEvery page needs a descriptive <title> element. Not just for SEO — screen reader users hear the page title when navigating between tabs.
Enforcement
EAA penalties by country
The directive requires member states to "lay down effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties". Enforcement authorities will be designated in each country.
🇪🇸
€1,000,000
Spain
very serious infringements
🇮🇹
€40,000
Italy
repeated violations
🇫🇷
€25,000
France
per violation
🇩🇪
€10,000/day
Germany
continued non-compliance
Free accessibility audit
Check your store's EAA compliance now
EuroGPSR automatically checks your store for the most common EAA and WCAG 2.1 violations — colour contrast, missing alt text, form labels, page titles, and more. Free, no signup.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the EAA deadline?
June 28, 2025. After this date, ecommerce services must meet EAA requirements. If you're not yet compliant, you should prioritise the highest-impact issues first.
Is my small business exempt from the EAA?
Microenterprises are exempt: fewer than 10 employees AND less than €2 million annual turnover. Both conditions must be met. Exceed either threshold and the full EAA applies.
What technical standard does the EAA use?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). This is the same standard required by EN 301 549, the harmonised EU standard referenced in the EAA implementing legislation.
What are the EAA penalties?
Spain classifies serious violations as subject to fines up to €1,000,000. France up to €25,000 per violation. Germany up to €10,000 per day of continued non-compliance after a correction order.
Does the EAA apply to my mobile app?
Yes. Any app that provides ecommerce functionality to EU consumers falls under EAA scope. Both your website and your app must comply independently.